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Strategies for Using Social Media

The importance of listening, giving, and planning.

By Colin Kennedy and Fiona Powell, BNI New Zealand

“How can I make social media networking -- including LinkedIn and Facebook -- work for me?”

It’s a common question and one usually accompanied by the unspoken expectation that social media success comes from following certain rules. It’s an expectation bound for disappointment.

There are no hard and fast rules in social media. No steadfast ‘shoulds’ or ‘should nots’ because it’s still evolving. People are learning and experimenting.

But using social media to grow your business does demand strategic thinking.

A strategy lays the foundation that enables you to be informal and intuitive, without losing sight of your objectives and over-extending your resources.

One mistake many people make is treating social media like a conventional marketing channel. They concentrate on building their profile, and then talk about how great they are—instead of bringing value to a conversation.

In our day-to-day interactions we can usually get away with being lazy conversationalists. But in the world of social media, the conversation is everything. And every good conversationalist knows you start by listening.

Good Listening and a Strategy

It’s commonly acknowledged that a good listener makes a good conversationalist. In the world of social media, listening gives you permission to participate. But you need some strategy to do it right.

First, understand what you want to gain from joining the conversation; who you want to interact with (your target audience); and, what value you plan to add to the conversation.

Your objective may be better customer service, to build a higher profile, educate your clients, or build stronger relationships with potential customers. It may be to add some color and glamour to your brand by presenting yourself as fun.

Second, you have to be clear about who your audience is. We know many companies, for example, that have prohibited their employees from accessing Facebook during the day. But they’re happy for them to access LinkedIn.

So LinkedIn can be a better forum to reach your prospective audience. Consider which forum you’ll gain the most from.

Third, determine how much time you want to spend each day engaging social media, and how well resourced you are.

For example, if you’re trying to raise your profile by making public speaking appearances, you might find your time is instead better spent posting clips of yourself on YouTube.

They key, however, is not treating social media like a one-way channel. It’s a two-way conversation. And the ‘currency’ is the value you add. Value can include everything from being supportive of someone's perspective to giving ideas, advice, education, resources, or simply listening or sharing.

It’s the perfect forum for Givers Gain.

If you want somebody’s attention, pay attention to them first. It’s conventional advice, but in the social media world it’s magnified: If you don’t pay attention first, you won’t be heard.

Ideas for LinkedIn

One way to tackle LinkedIn is to build your list of contacts and identify who you want to network with. You can then ask your immediate contacts to put you in touch with the people in their network who you want to meet.

On LinkedIn you can see who everybody is connected to, so it’s a great medium for asking for introductions -- just make sure you maintain a quality network.

Do this by first building your contacts list -- and continuing to do so. Then start building your profile by joining various groups and participating in the conversations they’re having. Start discussions and don’t forget to promote your LinkedIn page on your web site, blog, and in your email signature.

Keep building your base of contacts and looking for valuable introductions.

Ideas for Facebook

Treat Facebook as your social web site.

Most web sites are passive, because they push information out but don’t leave any room for readers to interact. Facebook is where clients and stakeholders can interact.

Accept constructive criticism and address it in an open forum so everybody can see you’re doing something about it.

It’s also a good idea to promote your Facebook page on your web site, your LinkedIn page, and in your email signature.

On Facebook you can offer promotions. But again, understand what your Facebook objectives are, whether it’s driving people to your web site or getting them to sign up for your newsletter. Perhaps it’s to promote your brand.

About Colin Kennedy
Colin is the Marketing Director of BNI New Zealand, a director of Iron Road Ltd and a professional speaker and copywriter. While this is an outsourced function, Colin manages - at an executive level - all marketing and communication functions for BNI New Zealand. Colin is also the official spokesman for BNI New Zealand, and is responsible for building relationships with media and partners, including Hospice NZ, as well as representing BNI at all public speaking engagements (when BNI receives requests to talk at those functions). The core focus of his business is writing compelling copy for clients. Colin believes that in this era of low trust, social media and word of mouth dominance, a different approach to marketing is needed - one about conversation, relationships, engaging stories, delivering value... "We have to engage the market with compelling 'stories'.”

About Fiona Powell
Fiona is a social media maven, blogger, an award winning magazine business editor and publisher, an international speaker, and an educator and businesswoman. Fiona is the founder of online community entrepreneurette and flokka, the blog network – both for women in business, and she is the past founder, and editor/publisher of Her Business magazine and Her Business Group. Fiona trains and works with organisations to implement and manage their social media programmes. And she blogs at www.chiefette.com.

Tags: facebook, LinkedIn, networking, September 2010, social media